View source for Italian frigate Virginio Fasan (F 591)

{{short description|FREMM class multi-purpose frigates in the Italian Navy}}
{{other ships|Italian frigate Virginio Fasan}}
{{redirect|F 591|former ship|Italian frigate Altair (F 591)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
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{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= File:Italian Navy frigate Virginio Fasan (F 591) in New York Harbor (USA), 24 May 2023 (230524-N-ON707-1013).JPG
|Ship caption= ''Virginio Fasan'' on 24 May 2023
}}
{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=Italy
|Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|Italy|naval}}
|Ship name= ''Virginio Fasan''
|Ship namesake= [[Virginio Fasan]]
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|Ship builder= *[[Fincantieri]], 
*[[Sestri Levante|Riva Trigoso]] and [[Muggiano]]
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|Ship laid down= 12 May 2009
|Ship launched= 31 March 2012
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|Ship commissioned= 19 December 2013
|Ship recommissioned=
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|Ship homeport= [[La Spezia]]
|Ship identification=*{{MMSI Number|247306900}}
*[[Maritime call sign|Callsign]]: IOGY
*[[Pennant number]]: F 591
|Ship motto=*In aleis strenua
*(In strenuous aleis)
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|Ship status= Active
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Ship class= [[FREMM multipurpose frigate|''Carlo Bergamini''-class]] [[frigate]]
|Ship displacement= 6,700 tons
|Ship length= {{convert|144.6|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{convert|19.7|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship height=
|Ship draught= {{convert|8.7|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion= *[[Combined diesel-electric and gasturbine|CODLAG]]
*1 × 32 MW [[gas turbine]] [[General Electric LM2500|General Electric/Avio LM2500+G4]]
*2 × 2.5 MW [[electric motors]] Jeumont Electric
*4 × [[diesel generator]]s
*VL 1716 (T2ME series by 2.15 MW everyone, on first two frigate; HPCR series by 2.8 MW everyone, since the third frigate)
*2 × [[propeller shaft|shafts]], driving [[controllable pitch propeller]]s
*1 × 1 MW [[bow thruster]]
|Ship speed= {{convert|27|kn|lk=in}} max
|Ship range={{convert|6800|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship endurance=
|Ship complement=201
|Ship sensors=* [[Leonardo S.p.A.|Leonardo]] Kronos Grand Naval (MFRA) [[active electronically scanned array]] radar
* CAPTAS-4 towed-array sonar
* UMS 4110 CL hull-mounted sonar
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament= *16-cell MBDA SYLVER A50 VLS for 16 MBDA [[Aster (missile family)|Aster 15 and 30]] missiles
*2 × Leonardo [[OTO Melara 76 mm#DART|OTO Melara 76 mm/62 ''Davide/Strales'']] CIWS guns
*2 × Leonardo [[Oto Melara]]/[[Oerlikon KBA]] 25 mm/80 [[remote weapon station|remote weapon systems]]
*4 × MBDA [[Otomat|Teseo]] Mk 2/A anti-ship and land attack missiles
*4 × MBDA [[Otomat#MILAS|MILAS]] anti-submarine missiles
*2 × triple Leonardo (WASS) B-515/3 launcher for [[MU90 Impact|MU 90 torpedoes]]
*2 × SITEP MASS CS-424 acoustic guns 
|Ship armour=
|Ship aircraft=*2 × [[NH90|SH90]] 
*1 × [[NH90|SH90]]
*1 × [[EH101|AW101]] (armed with [[MU90 Impact|MU 90 torpedoes]] or MBDA [[Sea Killer|Marte Mk2/S]] missiles)
|Ship aircraft facilities=Double hangar
|Ship notes=
}}
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'''''Virginio Fasan'' (F 591)''' is a [[FREMM multipurpose frigate|''Carlo Bergamini''-class]] [[frigate]] of the [[Italian Navy]]. The vessel was constructed [[Fincantieri]]'s [[La Spezia]] shipyard and was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 31 March 2012. The frigate has been deployed on [[EUNAVFOR]] missions to counter piracy and attacks on commercial shipping in the [[Red Sea]].

== Development and design ==
Planning assumptions for the [[Italian Navy]] are ten FREMM-IT, four [[anti-submarine warfare]] (ASW) variants and six general purpose (GP) variants, at a cost of [[€]]5.9 billion. FREMM-IT will replace the {{sclass|Maestrale|frigate|5}} and {{sclass|Lupo|frigate|0}} frigates in service with the Italian Navy. In the 2013 Italian budget, the Italian government laid out the necessary financing for two more GP variants (FREMM-IT 7 & 8) and the contract was awarded in September 2013. On 15 April 2015, the Italian Parliament confirmed the deal between [[Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation|OCCAR]] and [[:it:Orizzonte Sistemi Navali|Orizzonte Sistemi Navali Spa]] (Fincantieri and Finmeccanica, since 2017 [[Leonardo S.p.A.|Leonardo]]) to begin building units 9 and 10, for 764 million Euros.

As of 16 April 2015, the Italian government approved funding for all ten FREMM-IT to be delivered to the Italian Navy.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bergamini Class|url=https://www.fincantieri.com/en/products-and-services/naval-vessels/bergamini-class/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629074232/https://www.fincantieri.com/en/products-and-services/naval-vessels/bergamini-class/|archive-date=29 June 2018|access-date=11 April 2018|publisher=Fincantieri}}</ref>

FREMM-IT 9 & 10 have undisclosed enhanced capabilities. All ten Italian FREMM-ITs have extended anti-air warfare capabilities, with SAAM-ESD CMS, Aster 30 and Aster 15 missiles for extended area defence. SAAM-ESD CMS use Leonardo MFRA, a 3D active radar (AESA), an evolved version of the Leonardo [[EMPAR]] PESA radar (previously embarked on Horizon-class destroyers and the aircraft carrier ''Cavour''). Since the seventh FREMM-IT, there ships have been updated, such as new conformal IFF antenna and much more stealth response. Since the ninth FREMM-IT, SCLAR-H replaced with Leonardo ODLS-20. In 2017 the Italian FREMM refit started with the installation on each of two SITEP MS-424 acoustic guns.

== Construction and career ==
On 31 March 2012, the ship, named after [[Virginio Fasan]], was launched. The frigate was [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] into the Italian Navy on 19 December 2013 and is based at La Spezia as part of [[2° Comando Gruppo Navale]].<ref name="fasan">{{cite web |url=https://www.marina.difesa.it/noi-siamo-la-marina/mezzi/forze-navali/Pagine/FasanVirginio.aspx |title=Fasan |publisher=Italian Navy |language=it |access-date=25 June 2024}}</ref>

''Virginio Fasan'' was deployed as part of [[EUNAVFOR]]'s counter-piracy [[Operation Atalanta]] in 2017. On 18 November, the ship responded to a series of attacks on a [[container ship]] and a [[fishing vessel]]. The attacks on the container ship included the use of [[rocket-propelled grenade]]s. ''Virginio Fasan'' located the assailants and a team of [[Italian marine]]s were deployed via the frigate's helicopter to detain the pirates. A [[Whaler (boat)|motor whaler]] and a [[skiff]] were captured and six people were detained by the marines.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/italian-marines-detain-six-suspected-pirates |title=Italian Marines Detain Six Suspected Pirates  |work=The Maritime Executive |date=19 November 2017 |access-date=25 June 2024}}</ref>
[[File:Virginio Fasan in Hudson River NYC.jpg|thumb|''Virginio Fasan'' in Hudson River, New York City, May 2023]]
On 29 April 2024, while deployed to the [[Red Sea]] as part of the European Union's [[Operation Aspides]], ''Virginio Fasan'' shot down a [[Houthi]] [[unmanned aerial vehicle]] with its 3-inch gun.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eunavfor-aspides/its-virginio-fasan-shoots-down-one-uav_en?s=410381 |title=ITS Virginio Fasan shoots down one UAV |publisher=EUVNAFOR Operation Aspides |date=30 April 2024 |access-date=25 June 2024}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Bergamini-class frigate (2011)}}
{{Portal bar|Italy|Engineering}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Virginio Fasan}}
[[Category:2012 ships]]
[[Category:Bergamini-class frigates (2011)]]
[[Category:Ships built by Fincantieri]]
[[Category:Ships built in Italy]]